Regional roundup

September 24, 2013

STEUBENVILLE - The Rev. Peter Ryan will speak at Franciscan University of Steubenville on the historical circumstances surrounding the penning of Pope Paul VI's controversial encyclical, Humanae Vitae.

Ryan's talk, "Humanae Vitae in Historical and Social Perspective," will take place at 3 p.m. Friday in the Tony and Nina Gentile Gallery, J.C. Williams Center. His lecture will be given during Franciscan's Humanae Vitae at 45: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Holiness Conference, on Friday and Saturday.

"In the '60s, prominent Catholic theologians argued for a change in the teaching on contraception while others defended the traditional teaching. Pope Paul VI listened to both sides and, unconvinced that the teaching could be changed, forcefully reaffirmed it in Humanae Vitae," says Father Ryan, the executive director for the Secretariat of Doctrinal and Canonical Affairs for the USCCB.

Ryan is a moral theologian and former director of spiritual formation at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary. He has written extensively on ethical and theological issues.

The talk, in addition to providing the lead address for the conference, is sponsored by the Henkels Lecture Series and is part of the fall 2013 Distinguished Speakers Series.

Lanes to close for bridge construction

WEIRTON - The West Virginia Division of Highways will close portions of the left lanes for both eastbound and westbound traffic on U.S. Route 22 as part of bridge work at Colliers Way.

The lane closures are scheduled to begin Wednesday and will involve the construction of piers in the existing median for a new Colliers Way Bridge.

During the lane closures, there will be a width restriction of 24 feet in both travel directions, according to information provided by WVDOH. These closures will be in effect 24 hours a day for the duration of the project. The bridge construction project is scheduled to be completed Oct. 31, 2014.

Motorists are advised to watch for changing traffic patterns.

Police still looking or chase suspect

WHEELING - Police on Monday continued their search for a man who led officers on a vehicle chase through the city, sometimes against oncoming traffic, before he crashed into a home in East Wheeling and fled on foot.

The chase began at about 10:30 a.m. when numerous law enforcement agencies attempted to stop a speeding Ford Excursion that was driving eastbound in the westbound lanes of Interstate 70. The vehicle reportedly was stolen Sunday night from Monroe County.

The SUV reportedly struck a vehicle in the Wheeling Tunnel before exiting onto state Route 2 and driving into the Goosetown area of East Wheeling. That's where it crashed into a house at 1218 1/2 Baltimore St. The Wheeling Fire Department responded to the crash scene to secure the building.

At one point, the suspect drove onto the city's jogging trail at Tunnel Green.

A door-to-door search was initiated in the Goosetown area and along McColloch Street in East Wheeling. A K9 unit also was put into service, searching the wooded areas along the jogging path and the area where the vehicle crashed.

The suspect was described as a white male with dirty blonde hair wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and a hat. Police suggested the suspect may have been barefoot as they found shoes in the front seat of the crashed vehicle.